is the autumn-flowering pale-lilac meadow- saffron, i. e. Colchicum autumnale … in the park-like tract (about 8-12 miles wide and 44 long) of the Palestinian

...is the autumn-flowering pale-lilac meadow-saffron, i. e. Colchicum autumnale … in the park-like tract (about 8-12 miles wide and 44 long) of the Palestinian Maritime Plain extending along the Mediterranean from Joppa to Mt. Carmel.Paul Haupt. Journal of Biblical Literature, 36:1/2, 147. 1917Colchicum

autumnale is most commonly known as autumn crocus, but in various regions it is known as naked-ladies, colchicum, and meadow saffron…

http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.html

““Rose of Sharon”Rose of Sharon”

It's a perennial herb in the lily family… which grows from a corm (a solid bulb)... http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.htm


...each stalk produces a single white-to-purplish-pink flower that resembles a crocus.

The extreme toxicity of this plant has been known since the times of ancient Greece, but in the fifth century, herbalists in the Byzantine Empire discovered it could be used to treat rheumatism and arthritis, and the Arabs began to use it for gout. The useful active ingredient in the plant is an alkaloid called colchicine... http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.html


Poisoning from this plant resembles arsenic poisoning; the symptoms (which occur 2 to 5 hours after the plant has been eaten) include burning in the mouth and throat, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, and kidney failure. Death from respiratory failure often follows. Less than than two grams of the seeds is enough to kill a child…http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.html


...is the autumn-flowering pale-lilac meadow-saffron, i. e. Colchicum autumnale … in the park-like tract (about 8-12 miles wide and 44 long) of the Palestinian Maritime Plain extending along the Mediterranean from Joppa to Mt. Carmel.Paul Haupt. Journal of Biblical Literature, 36:1/2, 147. 1917Colchicum

autumnale is most commonly known as autumn crocus, but in various regions it is known as naked-ladies, colchicum, and meadow saffron…

http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.html


It's a perennial herb in the lily family… which grows from a corm (a solid bulb)... http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.htm


...each stalk produces a single white-to-purplish-pink flower that resembles a crocus.

The extreme toxicity of this plant has been known since the times of ancient Greece, but in the fifth century, herbalists in the Byzantine Empire discovered it could be used to treat rheumatism and arthritis, and the Arabs began to use it for gout. The useful active ingredient in the plant is an alkaloid called colchicine... http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.html


Poisoning from this plant resembles arsenic poisoning; the symptoms (which occur 2 to 5 hours after the plant has been eaten) include burning in the mouth and throat, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, and kidney failure. Death from respiratory failure often follows. Less than than two grams of the seeds is enough to kill a child…http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/acrohst.html


Christ and His BrideChrist and His Bride

• KJV headingsKJV headings

• Some of our hymnsSome of our hymns

Christ and His BrideChrist and His Bride

identity of the bride…identity of the bride…

• the individual believerthe individual believer

• the church corporatethe church corporate

• the Virgin Marythe Virgin Mary

Among the known advocates...Among the known advocates...

Hippolytus Hippolytus (died sometime after 235)(died sometime after 235)

• earliest earliest knownknown advocate advocate

• breasts (4:5) = the breasts (4:5) = the Old & New CovenantsOld & New Covenants

Among the known advocates...Among the known advocates...

Origen Origen (185 - c. 254)(185 - c. 254)

• his “rash act”his “rash act”

• his commentaryhis commentary

• examples of his interpretation...examples of his interpretation...

The brideThe bride "represents the church "represents the church gathered from the Gentiles"gathered from the Gentiles"

The kisses of his mouthThe kisses of his mouth - “the words of - “the words of faith and love and peace” that came faith and love and peace” that came from the mouth of Christ himself, from the mouth of Christ himself, contrasted with the kisses delivered by contrasted with the kisses delivered by the angels and the prophets.the angels and the prophets.

OintmentsOintments - the anointing of the Holy Spirit. - the anointing of the Holy Spirit. LXX reads, LXX reads, ""and the fragrance of your and the fragrance of your ointments is above all the spices.ointments is above all the spices."" Origen Origen took the spices to be the "words of the Law took the spices to be the "words of the Law and the Prophets."and the Prophets."

The daughters of JerusalemThe daughters of Jerusalem - "the - "the daughters of this earthly Jerusalem who, daughters of this earthly Jerusalem who, seeing the Church of the Gentiles, seeing the Church of the Gentiles, despise and vilify her"despise and vilify her"

Being Being darkdark - due to "the sun of Justice" - due to "the sun of Justice" having "looked askance" because of the having "looked askance" because of the Gentiles' "unbelief and disobedience"; Gentiles' "unbelief and disobedience"; "by reason of her former sins""by reason of her former sins"

Our bedOur bed (NAS, ESV: “couch”) is the place we (NAS, ESV: “couch”) is the place we share with Christ.share with Christ.The lily of the valleyThe lily of the valley is Christ is Christ

• “ “describing the Church which is the describing the Church which is the spiritual house”spiritual house”• beams “those who protect the church”beams “those who protect the church”• “ “stronger ones…are called rafters”stronger ones…are called rafters”• ErgoErgo, bishops = rafters & priests = , bishops = rafters & priests = beamsbeams

Little foxesLittle foxes,, the "opposing forces and the the "opposing forces and the wicked powers of demons who by means of wicked powers of demons who by means of base thoughts and perverted notions base thoughts and perverted notions destroy the bloom of the virtues of the soul destroy the bloom of the virtues of the soul and ruin the fruit of faith" and ruin the fruit of faith"

Beams/raftersBeams/rafters,,

Accounting for the historical Accounting for the historical

dominance of the allegorical dominance of the allegorical

interpretationinterpretation

• Jewish interpretations

• Metaphors in Scripture

• Greek philosophy

• Ascetic Gnosticism

• Origen's bent

Evaluating the Allegorical Evaluating the Allegorical

InterpretationInterpretation

• Inconceivably Ignored by NT writers




Garrett: "Fairly unambiguous allusions Garrett: "Fairly unambiguous allusions to love play appear in the text...Such to love play appear in the text...Such language is simply inappropriate as a language is simply inappropriate as a description of the love between God description of the love between God and his people, other biblical and his people, other biblical metaphors notwithstanding.”metaphors notwithstanding.”

But whyBut why????




• Ineffective

• Can we criticize Origen without indicting ourselves?

THE ARGUMENT FOR THE ANTHOLOGY VIEW:

(no doubt this is too simplistic)

• drama didn't exist among Jews

• Seems similar to some (Syrian, Egyptian) love poems of the time

AGAINST THE ANTHOLOGY VIEW:

THE EVIDENCE THAT THE SONG IS A LITERARY UNIT

• Difficulty of making this argument...

• Nonetheless...

Seven distinct units that seem to be Seven distinct units that seem to be relatedrelated and and arranged symmetricallyarranged symmetrically

Identified by...Identified by...

• theme of Separation/Uniontheme of Separation/Union

• by distinctive content (by distinctive content (e.g.,e.g., dialogue, dialogue, event, etc.)event, etc.)




• Arranged symmetricallyArranged symmetricallyopening words of mutual love and desireyoung man's invitation to the young woman

young woman's nighttime searchtheir wedding day

young woman's nighttime searchyoung woman's invitation to the young man

closing words of mutual love and desire




• Arranged symmetricallyArranged symmetrically

• Related by imagery, phrases, themesRelated by imagery, phrases, themes

• imagery, e.g. “gazelle”

• phrases: adjuring the daughters of Jerusalem

• theme of city vs. country




• Arranged symmetricallyArranged symmetrically

• Related by imagery, phrases, themesRelated by imagery, phrases, themesopening words of mutual love and desire

young man's invitation to the young womanyoung woman's nighttime search

their wedding dayyoung woman's nighttime search

young woman's invitation to the young manclosing words of mutual love and desire




Arranged symmetricallyArranged symmetrically

Related by imagery, phrases, themesRelated by imagery, phrases, themes



CONCLUSION: The Song…

...celebrates romantic, sexual love.

...is a unit, composed of several parts designed to fit together as a whole.

...the case for unity seems to point to a climactic point at the center of the Song which raises questions I cannot yet answer.

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is the autumn-flowering pale-lilac meadow- saffron, i. e. Colchicum autumnale … in the park-like tract (about 8-12 miles wide and 44 long) of the Palestinian